Boston Ballet’s performance of the world-famous ballet, The Nutcracker, is perhaps the most well-known holiday show in the city. The Nutcracker, set to score of Tchaikovsky, tells the story of a young girl named Clara, who is taken on a magical journey when her nutcracker, a gift from her uncle, comes to life on Christmas. For many families, seeing the Nutcracker has become a holiday tradition. But, did you know that there are many other entertaining holiday musicals and plays annually performed in Boston? Local theater companies across the city host a variety of theatric holiday performances, based off of seasonal favorites like It’s a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Carol, all at a fraction of the price of a Nutcracker ticket. Below is a selection of some holiday shows to get you in the Christmas spirit!

A Celtic Sojourn

Boston’a Cutler Majestic Theater will host Celtic Sojourn, an annual show featuring holiday music, with Celtic and Pagan influences. Celtic Sojourn, once a popular radio program, has been transformed into a live performance every Christmas season for the past 15 years. The show features a cast of talented musicians, singers, and dancers from Celtic countries around the world. Performances will run from December 14 -23, 218. You can find more information and a showtime schedule here.

It’s A Wonderful Life

If you’re a fan of the classic Christmas movie, A Wonderful Life, then you can’t miss out on seeing a live version performed by the Greater Boston Stage Company in Stoneham, MA. The Greater Boston Theater Company is a non-profit theater organization that performs six or seven shows a year. This holiday, the Company will also be performing another well-known holiday film, Tiny Tim’s Christmas Story from now until December 23rd. You can purchase tickets here, and a special discount is given to students!

A Christmas Carol

The Central Square Theater will also be hosting its own version of A Christmas Carol through December 30th. The performance tells the story of Charles Dickens’ famous novel and has become a holiday classic in Boston. Actors dance, sing, and use puppets to animate the story of Ebenezer Scrooge in Victorian-era London. The Theater also offers discounted tickets for both high school and college students. You can purchase tickets and find showtimes here.

Hip Hop Nutcracker

Hip Hop Nutcracker is an unconventional rendition of the classic ballet, set in 1980s Brooklyn. This contemporary dance performance, hosted by the Emmerson Colonial Theater, features hip-hop mashups of Tchaikovsky’s famous music with a professional cast of dancers, an electric violinist and a DJ. Last December’s performances were all sold out shows, and this year is expected to be just as popular. Tickets still remain for this weekend’s shows, you can browse showtimes here.

Boston is a diverse city, home to many different cultures and ethnicities. Boston’s diversity makes the city an interesting place to live and study, as different cultural groups share their heritage through food, cultural events, or even film festivals. Boston City Hall has found a unique way to celebrate the different cultures that make up Boston, raising a flag at City Hall each month to bring awareness to the city’s diversity. The Mayor’s office has chosen to commemorate flags from many countries and community’s to “create an environment in the city where everyone feels included and is treated with respect”. According to the Mayor's office, the goal of displaying these flags is also to “foster diversity and build and strengthen connections among Boston's many communities.”

(The Ethiopian Flag raised outside City Hall)

If you have walked by City Hall, in Boston’s Government Center, then perhaps you have noticed another nation’s flag, raised next to those of the United States, Massachusetts, and Boston. Often times, along with a flag raising, the designated cultural group will hold an event, sharing their traditions and heritage with the rest of the city. Depending on the culture, flag raising ceremonies may include dancing, live music, food, and public speeches. Thus, the City Hall flagpole serves as a sort of community meeting place. The steps outside City Hall have become a place of cultural appreciation, where Boston residents can learn more about each other and celebrate each other’s differences.

(Puerto Rican community members gather at the Peurto Rican Flag Raising)

The full schedule for upcoming flag raising ceremonies is not yet complete, though the Mayor’s Office Websiteindicates the February flag will be Lithuania, followed by Pride Week, Caribbean American and Puerto Rico in the late spring and summer. Cultural groups can contact the Mayor’s office if they wish to have their flag displayed.